Grain drier frame



Jan. 25, 1966 J. D. HUME 3,230,638

GRAIN DRIER FRAME Filed Sept. 24, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 50 I0 Q 34 E INVENTOR. JAMES D. Hume Jan. 25, 1966 J. D. HUME 3,230,638

GRAIN DRIER FRAME Filed Sept. 24, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 c 8 O ,/"r\ 5+ @4! 5 T5 Q 2/ 14 37 28 INVENTOR Imus D. Home ATTYs.

5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Sept. 24, 1962 RN ow INVENTOR. JAMES D. Hum: BY

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Jan. 25, 1966 J. D. HUME 3,230,638

GRAIN DRIER FRAME Filed Sept. 24, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. JAMEs D. Home Jan. 25, 1966 J. D. HUME 3,230,638

GRAIN DRIER FRAME Filed Sept. 24, 1962 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 F J F I t 20 5/ I8 /5/ 24 3 Q0\ I F 27 INVENTOR.

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United States Patent 3,230,638 GRAIN DRIER FRAME James D. Hume, Mendota, Ill., assignor, by mesue assignments, to Hart-Carter Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Delaware Filed Sept. 24, 1962, Ser. No. 225,678 8 Claims. (Cl. 34174) This application relates to a novel supporting frame for a portable grain drier.

The present invention relates to an improvement in a portable grain drier, such as those adapted to remove excess moisture from grain being delivered to an elevator. Heretofore such grain driers have been constructed on common truck type frames with the drier superstructure located above the frame. It is a first consideration of this invention to provide a frame structure which is an integral part of the drier apparatus and which eliminates unnecessary additional structural parts in order to complete the grain drier structure.

It is a first object of this invention to provide a simple frame structure for a portable grain drier in which the main structural members act also as the principal dividing members in the grain metering arrangement at the lower end of the drier. More particularly, the frame includes two longitudinal members which provide the principal longitudinal strength of the frame and which also act as the metering walls, through which the dried grain must pass before it is discharged from the drier.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel axle support arrangement by which the longitudinal members may be carried directly on the ground engaging wheels.

Another object of this invention is to provide a simple frame arrangement which has no portions wherein grain may become entrapped and which may be readily cleaned from outside the drier without disassembling the apparatus.

These and further objects will be evident from a study of the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate one preferred form of the invention. It is to be understood that this form is not intended to restrict or limit the scope of my invention which is defined in the following claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a grain drier constructed according to this invention;

FIGURE 2 is a rear perspective view of the drier shown in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary side view of the lower portion of the grain drier illustrated in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along line 44 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal view taken substantially along line 55 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a top view of the frame members;

FIGURE 7 is a sectional view taken along line 7-7 in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 8 is a front end view taken from the left hand end of FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 9 is a rear end view of the frame as seen from the left in FIGURE 6;

FIGURE 10 is a fragmentary side view of the frame taken from behind the wheels;

FIGURE 11 is a perspective view of the axle support used to carry the longitudinal frame members;

FIGURE 12 is an enlarged bottom view of the front end of the frame; and

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged bottom view of the rear end of the frame.

The present invention is concerned with a novel frame construction for a portable grain drier. This novel frame is designed as an integral part of the drier structure so as to minimize the number of parts required to construct such a drier and so as to streamline the finished product. The frame is designed for use both as a structural member, and as a utilitarian member in the metering of dried grain. The type of drier for which this frame has been devised is shown in the perspective views of FIGURES 1 and 2. The frame 10 is at the bottom of the drier. A superstructure 11 is mounted on the frame 10. The upper superstructure generally consists of two screened passages located along each transverse side of the drier, each including outside screens 12 and inside screens 13 (FIG- URE 4). The drier also includes end walls 14 which enclose the ends of the screened passages through which the grain travels during the drying cycle. Grain is fed into the drier through the top of the superstructure 11 and is directed to the screened passages which are normally completely filled with grain moving downwardly between the two screens 12 and 13 of each passage. As the grain moves downwardly between the screens 12 and 13 hot air is blown from within the drier through the screens and through the grain separating the screens. The hot air is supplied from a hot air blower 15. As the grain comes downwardly it is then subjected to atmospheric air by means of a second blower 16. The rate of travel of the grain in its downward passage will determine the amount of moisture removed therefrom due to the action of blowers 15 and 16. The dried grain is then carried upwardly through an elevated discharge 17 which is shown in FIGURE 2. The specific details of the drier arrangement and the screen passages are not pertinent to the disclosure of this frame construction and therefore will not be described further in detail.

The instant frame consists primarily of two longitudinal members 18. Each member 18 is identical to the other, but the two are placed in fixed parallel positions back-to-back in the frame. The members 18 are rigidly connected to one another by means of longitudinally spaced struts 51. Each member 18 has an upright section 19 extending along its full length and directed in a substantially vertical direction. The upright sections 19 of each member 18 face one another toward the center of the frame structure. Each upright section 19 has a longitudinal upper edge 20 and a longitudinal lower edge 21. Cut through the section 19 along the lower edge 21 is a series of apertures 22 which are longitudinally spaced from one another along the full length of members 18. Extending downwardly and forwardly from the upper edge 20 is an angular section 23 which also extends the full length of each member 18. The section 23 terminates in a lower edge 24 and has a longitudinal series of apertures 25 cut therethrough adjacent edge 24. The apertures 25 are longitudinally displaced from the apertures 22 and therefore are interspersed between the apertures 22 so that no two apertures 25 and 22 are in transverse alignment with one another. The relative elevations of the edges along the members 18 is important. As may be seen in FIGURE 7 for instance, the lower edge 21 of the upright section 19 is lower in elevation than the lower edge 24 of the angular section 23. The reasons for this particular configuration of each member 18 will be evident from the following descriptions.

The members 18 are adapted to be carried by ground engaging wheels for portability. Each member 18 is directly carried by the supporting wheel structure. This 1 includes a transverse axle casing 26 within which is drier being supported thereby. Extending upwardly from each axle casing 26 are two supporting members 29 which have upper edges 30 formed complementary to the inside surfaces of the members 18. The members 29 are welded or otherwise secured to theinside surfaces of the members 13 to form a rigid support and to laterally brace the members 18.

As may be seen in FIGURE 7, a bracket 31 extends upwardly from each supporting member 29 directly adjacent the lower edge 24 of each member 18. The bracket 31 extends upwardly and outwardly and terminates in an upstanding flange 32. The bracket 31 also includes a pair of side flanges 33. The flange 32 is preferably slightly lower in elevation than the upper edge 20 of the longitudinal member 18 adjacent thereto.

Mounted on this rigid frame structure are two detachable pans 34. The pans 34 can be seen in cross section in FIGURE 4 which is cut through the complete grain drier arrangement. Each pan 34 includes an inner edge 35 which is secured to thelower edge 21 of the member 18 above it. The pan 34 includes an intermediate portion 36 which abuts the lower edge 24 of the member 18 and an upwardly directed portion 37 which extends along the flange 33 of the bracket 31 and which terminates at the flange 32. The termination of the pan 34 is located along an outer edge 38. Located along the portions 37 of each pan 34 are a series of removable covers 39 which may be bolted ,or hinged to the pan 34 for ready access to the interior of the metering structure.

The frame is completed by a rear end channel 44 and a front end channel 45 which may be seen respectively in FIGURES 9 and 8. Each channel 44 and 45 has an angular top surface 46 which is complementary to the remain der of the frame structure. As may be seen in FIGURE 4, the inside screens 13 of the screen passages are supported on the upper edge 20 of the member 18 and at the ends are supportedby the top surfaces 46 of channels 44 and 4-5. The outside screens 12 are bolted to the flange 32 of each bracket. 31 and are supported at their ends on the surfaces .6 of channels 44 and 45. Thus the screen passages terminate at their lower ends directly above the upwardly directed portions 37 of the pans 34. Located in this section is a circulating auger 40 which is rotatably supported by the end walls 14. The grain passing between the screens 12 and 13 is therefore supported by the pan 34 and is moved longitudinally by the auger 40 until it passes through the apertures 25.

Located within the area bounded by the members 18 and the intermediate portion 36 and pan 34 is the metering auger 41- which is rotatably supported by the end Walls 14 and by the supporting members 29 on the axle casing 26. Themetering augers 41 again move the grain longitudinally until it passes through the apertures 22 which are provided with small inwardly directed chutes 52.

Finally the grain falls upon a central pan 53 which is carried by the end walls 14 and by the axle casing 26. Grain on the pan 53 is carried to the delivery end of the drier by means of alarge delivery auger 4-2 and is then discharged by the elevated discharge mechanism 17.

The channels45 and 44 may each be provided with removable upright stands 47 which act as ground engaging supports for the frame when the drier is being used in a stationary position. Thus the weight of the apparatus can more easily be borne by the wheels 28 assisted by the stands 47.

At the front end of the frame It) is a tongue 48 which is rigidly fastened to, the front ends of the longitudinal members 18. The members 18 are provided with an inner brace 49 at their front ends in order to provide additional strength at this position, and the tongue4-8 has a suitable hinge 50 for attachment to a towing vehicle.

Thus I have described a simple frame 10 for a grain drier wherein the frame members themselves act as dividing walls for the metering chambers at the lower portion of the drier superstructure 11. The frame construction is simple to manufacture and provides no crevices or unnecessary openings wherein grain may be trapped or lost. The frame eliminates unnecessary duplication of parts by combining rigid structural features with the utilitarian features necessary in such a drier construction. The frame is subject to variation so long as the basic structural and utilitarian relationship are maintained and therefore I do not intend that the specific detailed description given above should restrict or limit the scope of the invention, which is defined in the claims which follow.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A frame for a portable grain drier having laterally spaced screened passages extending along each side of the drier, comprising:

a pair of longitudinal members identical in structure and rigidly fixed relative to one another in back to back transversely spaced positions, each member having an upright section provided with longitudinally spaced apertures along its lowermost edge and an angular section extending downwardly and outwardly from the top of said upright section provided with longitudinally spaced apertures alongits lowermost edge interspersed between the apertures of said upright section.

2. A frame as defined in claim 1, further comprising:

an axle housing located in a transverse position below said members;

and a pair of supporting members fixed to said axle housing and extending upwardly therefrom, said members terminating in an upper surface complementary respectively to the inside surfaces of said longitudinal members and fixed thereto.

3. A'frame as defined in claim 1 further comprising:

a set of detachable longitudinalpans extending along the length of said longitudinal members, each pan having an inner edge secured to the lowermost edge of the upright section of the member on which it is mounted, an intermediate portion abutting the lowermost edge of the angular section of the member on which it is mounted and an upwardly directed portion extending outwardly from said intermediate portion.

4. In combination with a portable grain drier having laterally spaced grain passages bounded by inner and outer screens extending longitudinally along the respective sides of the drier, a frame comprising:

a pair of parallel longitudinal members identical to one another and fixedrelative to one another in back to back transversely spaced positions, each member having an upright section facing one another with longitudinally spaced apertures along its lowermost edge, the upper, edge of said upright section providing a supporting ledge for the bottom edge of the inner screen of onegrain passage, and an angular section extending downwardly and outwardly from the upper edge of theupright section with longitudinally spaced apertures along its lowermost edge interspersed between the apertures of said upright section;

an axle housinglocated in a transverse position below said members intermediate the ends thereof;

support means fixed to said axle housing and extending upwardly therefrom, said means terminating in an uppervsurface complementary to theinside surfaces of the sections of each member and fixed thereto;

and a bracket extending upwardly and outwardly from said support means at each side thereof, terminating at a location transversely spaced from the upper edge of the adjacent upright portion of said members, said brackets being adapted to connect to the respective bottom edges of the outer screens of the grain passages.

5. A frame as defined in claim ti-further comprising:

a set of detachable pans extending along the length of said longitudinal members, each pan having .an inner edge secured to the lowermost edge of the upright section of the member on which it is mounted, an

intermediate portion abutting the lowermost edge of the angular section of the member on which it is mounted, an upwardly directed portion extending outwardly from said intermediate portion and terminating in an outer edge adapted to be fastened to the bottom edge of the outer screen of the respective grain passage located above said pan.

6. A frame as defined in claim 4 further comprising:

rigid end members secured to said members at longitudinally spaced positions and extending outwardly therefrom in transverse directions, each end member having an upper surface adapted to support the bottom edges of the inner and outer screens of said grain passages.

7. A frame as defined in claim 4 further comprising:

rigid end members secured to said members at longitudinally spaced positions and extending outwardly therefrom in transverse directions, each end member having an upper surface adapted to support the bottom edges of the inner and outer screens of said grain passages;

and removable supporting stands secured to said end members adapted to engage the adjacent ground surface as rigid foundation members.

8. A frame as defined in claim 4 further comprising:

a rigid tongue fixed to and extending longitudinally outward from one end of said members;

and a hitch on said tongue adapted to be secured to a towing vehicle.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS WILLIAM F. ODEA, Primary Examiner.

NORMAN YUDKOFF, Examiner. 

